The Admiralty was always conscious of the need for numbers of cruisers not just large cruisers. To this end instead of 14 County class ordered, 4 are cancelled and replaced with eight 5,000 ton light cruisers.
The 'G' class cruisers were based on the 1928-29 design for the return to the 6" cruiser. The basic design was altered and the latest models of superstructure were designed into the new ships. The Royal Navy had been introduced to the 5.5" gun with the two Greek cruisers taken over by the RN and commissioned as the Chester and Birkenhead. This had proved to be a very handy weapon and was fitted to many ships of all sorts of different classes. (This allows me to have an extra gun size in the armouries). Four twin light splinter proof turrets were fitted with these weapons (originally fitted to the Majestic Class). 4" AA guns provided the heavy AA while two 4 barrel 2 pounder pom poms were fitted as the light AA armament. Two banks of triple 21" torpedoes, a catapult and handling facilities for one aircraft. A lot of equipment fitted into a small ship
The upgrading of the ships with the 5.5" guns, replacing them with other dual purpose weapons, meant that the Glorious class ships were going to do the same and become anti-aircraft ships. Six of the ships were converted in UK shipyards with the twin 4.7" AA twin mounting (3 in 1939, 3 in 1940), one was converted in the US under Lend-Lease with twin 5"/38 mountings (October 1941) and one ship was sunk in its original 5.5" configuration before it could be upgraded.
With the completion of the last few Town class cruisers in 1938, the need for the smaller 'G' class as Patrol cruisers was obsolete. However the need for the new Anti-aircraft Cruiser type was of much more importance. The 'G' class were perfect for conversion.
The G class cruisers had tough wars where their AA configuration meant they were used in the toughest of conditions, in the Mediterranean Seas, the Arctic Runs to Russia, and later in 1944-45 in the Pacific fighting Kamikazes. Half the class were lost during the war, two were transferred to Allied nations to replace losses, those remaining in UK service after the end of WW2 were quickly placed in reserve, paid off and scrapped by 1948.
